Moving forward
by Sebcollins
Summary: The story between the end of the battle and the epilogue. Multi chapter from either Ron, Hermione or Harry POV. Basically what i think happens in that time period. Mainly about the relationships and friendships and how they cope with the battle and moving forward from it. I didn't know what rating to put so i went with M just to be safe for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Hermione POV

The battle was over, they had won. Harry has killed Voldemort. So why did she feel so numb? For nearly a year they had been on the run, finding Horcrux's, destroying Voldemort's soul and now it was over, the world was safe. She had helped. She couldn't celebrate though, nobody could, not yet. There was too much rebuilding emotionally and physically before celebrations could start.

Hermione was sat on the steps outside the front door to the castle looking out towards the lake. Not even taking into account the fixing of the castle there was so much to do. The quidditch pitch had to be rebuilt, the forest looked like it was still on fire in places and Hagrid's hut was completely gone. All the greenhouses were smashed and the bridge had collapsed in places. She wondered if McGonagall was going to organise some teams. Maybe she and Ron could head up a team together.

As Hermione sat she could hear her tummy grumbling. What a time to be hungry, she thought idly. Though thinking about it she hadn't eaten since Alberforth had brought those sandwiches which was...she couldn't even remember when that was, so much had happened since then.

"I don't even know what day it is." She said to herself.

"Me either. I know I'm hungry though, feels stupid really, to be hungry. All this has happened, the castle is in bits, we have lost so many people and yet I'm still bloody hungry." Ron said wearily as he sat down on the steps beside Hermione taking her hand in his.

Hermione looked at Ron and smiled. She could see his face was badly bruised. He had a split lip and a big cut through his eyebrow which must have been where all the blood down the left side of his face had come from. Hermione wondered if she looked as bad as he did.

"I was just thinking the same thing actually." She squeezed his hand and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Feels weird, doesn't it?" he said quietly. "That we have to carry on now, that the war wasn't the end of everything and that we have to rebuild a life out of all this chaos. Have a normal life; I don't even know what a normal life is."

"Me neither, but we will do it, together. We owe them that much." She replied.

"I don't think I'm strong enough Hermione, I don't know what to do." He whispered into her hair.

"You are the strongest person I know Ron."

"I'm not. I'm not strong at all. I left you. I left harry. I didn't care about saving the bloody world I just wanted to hide from everyone."

"But you came back Ron, none of that matters now, you came back and you destroyed a Horcrux that what makes you so strong. You came back."

"I never came back to help with destroying the Horcrux's though, I didn't even come back for Harry, I only came back for you. I never said anything because I thought you wouldn't want to know me but now after everything I can't lie anymore."

"You only came back for me?"

"Yes, do you hate me?"

"Why would you think I'd hate you for that?"

"Because...you gave everything up to help harry and make sure that the job got done no matter what and so did harry, I didn't, I didn't even care I just wanted to be near you."

"Ronald, look at me." He lifted his head but wouldn't meet Hermione's eyes so she lifted his chin until he did.

"After you came back you did so many things that people twice our age can't even comprehend, you killed a Horcrux, saved Harry's life, saved my life, broke into Gringotts, fought off more death eaters than I could count, looked out for us both. the fact that you did those things even though you didn't want to be there means you are far stronger than Harry or me. It proves that once you have found something you believe in, even if it's not what everyone else is, you will follow it to the end of the world. I cannot believe I'm lucky enough to be that one thing you believe in." Hermione had had to say the last few of words through tears which were now freely falling down her cheeks, leaving trails in the ash and dirt accumulated in the battle.

"Don't be daft Hermione, you're amazing, the best, and I should have told you sooner. I wish I had told you sooner. I'm so sorry I left you Hermione. I really am." He said whilst wiping away her tears with the pad of his thumb.

"Like I said, you came back and that means more to me than you leaving in the first place."

She smiled at him and started rummaging in her bag which was amazingly still in one piece. Once she had found what she was looking for, a rag and a bottle of water, she closed the bag up again and wet the rag. She turned to Ron and started to wipe away the dirt and dried blood of his face, once she had finished as best she could she siphoned off the dirt with Ron's wand and re wet it and handed it to him. He started to do the same to her face. He did it with such gentleness she almost started crying again, she could almost feel his love for her pouring out of him.

"There, you look like you again." He said happily. "Will you come with me, I want you to get checked over by Madam Pomfray, that's actually why I came looking for you. I need to know that you are okay."

"Have you been checked yet? That cut is quite nasty."

"Not yet I've been getting the family sorted and now you, and then Harry if I can ever find him, then I'll get looked at."

"Okay." She said to him whilst getting up from the steps. She couldn't quite believe how much Ron had changed in the past year. It was nice to be looked after, especially by him.


	2. Chapter 2

Ron's POV

Walking back through the hallways to the Great Hall he couldn't believe Hogwarts was still standing. Portraits were either falling off the wall, empty or smashed to pieces. Walls were falling down, there was rubble everywhere. Rebuilding Hogwarts was going to be a massive job. He wondered if McGonagall was going to put teams, maybe he and Hermione could lead a team together?

He glanced down at Hermione, thank Merlin he had her, she would be there for him and he would be there for her. That was more than George had, poor George. He needed to think of a way to help him somehow.

Once they had got to the Great Hall Ron led Hermione over to where Madam Pomfray was working on a 6th year Ravenclaw Ron vaguely recognised, she had a nasty burn down the right side of her face and arm.

"Ah Mr Weasley, Miss Granger how are we? Are you going to let me take a look at that cut yet Weasley?" Madam Pomfray asked accusingly.

"Er...actually could you check Hermione out first, I can wait a little longer." He said pushing her forward gently.

"Very well." She said with a sigh. "Miss Howley, try to get some sleep now, the potion should be starting to take effect." She came over to Hermione and sat her down on a nearby camp bad.

"Well I can't fix her with you hanging over my shoulder, go and make yourself useful young man." She said bustling him out of the way.

"I'll come find you when we are done, don't worry." She said giving him a small smile. Ron smiled back and went to find his family.

They were pretty much in exactly the same positions as he had left them in earlier, only now George was stood holding on to Percy rather than laid over Fred's body. He quietly walked up next to Ginny and put his arm around her, pulling her into his chest. She didn't look up at him but put her arm around his waist and squeezed as if she knew it was him.

They stood like that for a while in silence just staring at Fred's body until Ron couldn't take it anymore.

"He wouldn't want us to be like this, he'd want us to be celebrating, cheering everybody else up, making jokes. Not this, this is wrong." He said to the group.

"RON." His mother gasped as though he had killed Fred all over again. His father just looked confusedly at him and Bill wouldn't look him in the eye.

"He's right, Fred _would _hate this." George whispered.

"He'd be singing along with peeves throwing fireworks around." Ginny said, giggling.

"Or teasing me some more about what a prat I am." Percy said with a tear in his eye.

"Well you are a prat." George, He and Ginny said at the same time, which sent Bill and Charlie into fits of giggles. His mum, dad and Fleur looked at them like they had all gone mad. At that point Professor McGonagall came over to talk to them.

"Hello Weasley's." she said wearily. "I'm so very sorry about Fred; he was a remarkable young man."

"Thank you Minerva." His dad replied.

"I know this must be a very difficult time but we have been setting up portkey's so families can take their loved ones home before we start the clean up. I have saved you one if you would like it, it goes in ten minutes."

"Yes thank you, I think we will take it, we should get Fred home, start planning the..." Molly trailed off.

"Right, who's coming now then?" Charlie said to everyone.

"I've got to find Hermione and Harry, and I reckon Ginny wants to see harry too. We can come by floo or something later if that's okay with you mum?" Ron said. Ginny smiled up at him, thanking him without saying a word.

"Oh, my Ronnie, I'm so proud of you, so so proud." His mother had pushed Ginny out of the way and gripped him into a bear hug. "You take care of Ginny and Harry and Hermione too. You're in charge here now. I'm so proud of you." She leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek and turned to Ginny and gave her one too.

As the rest of the Weasley's followed after Professor McGonagall to get the portkey Ron and Ginny went to find Hermione and Harry.

"I'm proud of you too you know?" she said grabbing his hand.

"I'm proud of all of us; there were times when I didn't think we were going to make it. It's all down to those two though, they're the ones you should be proud of, I just followed their lead."

"I think you were more important than you give yourself credit for Ron, they couldn't have done it without you either."

"They really could have Gin, there's things you don't know yet, things I don't really want you to know."

"Why not?" she stopped walking and frowned at him.

"Because you may not like me very much after you hear them."

"I don't care what happened when you were out there, you have come home safely and Hermione has come home safely and Harry has come home safely. You all looked after each other and you brought him back to me. So I don't care. I'm proud of you and I'm thankful to you." She gave him a quick hug. "Now let's find the other two so I can thank them for bringing you home!"

Watching Ginny walk away he felt everything could be okay, he had his family. They would defiantly grieve the loss of Fred but they could get through it together. They would grow together as well. He also knew that Ginny was now one of them, the trio was now a quartet and surprising himself, he didn't mind.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry

Once they had made their way down the broken staircase away from Dumbledore's office Harry watched Ron and Hermione make their way to the Great Hall. He couldn't follow them; he couldn't face having his back slapped by everyone, congratulating him on saving the wizarding world. He couldn't face seeing all the injured people being fixed up or being near all the loved ones they had lost.

He turned down a short cut he must have taken a thousand times while he was at Hogwarts and stood in front of a portrait he knew very well.

"Hi...erm I don't know the password, I haven't been here this year." He mumbled at his feet.

"Oh, my boy, you don't need a password. I've watched you grow up Mr Potter, you have just saved our world from certain destruction, you are always welcome here." With that her portrait swung forward and revealed the entrance to the Gryffindor common room.

Harry stood for a moment and then scrambled through. The common room wasn't too badly damaged, he realised as he sunk into his favourite chair by the fire.

"Kreacher" he said, in a whisper. There was a familiar popping sound and Kreacher stood in front of harry still wearing the fake Horcrux round his neck.

"Yes master harry, what can I get you? Anything you need sir, anything."

"Could you please make me a sandwich Kreacher?"

"Of course, but what would you like in it? Is a sandwich enough for you I could make you your favourite French onion soup if you like?"

"A sandwich is fine thank you and a bottle of butterbeer if you can find one."

"Of course sir." And with a pop he was gone again. Harry sat staring at the empty grate in the fireplace. His mind wandering back to fourth year when Sirius and come to talk to him. With another pop Kreacher was back carrying a tray with a plate so full of sandwiches it looked like it would topple at any moment. It also has two bottles of butterbeer and a slice of treacle tart with custard. He watched as Kreacher balances the tray on a table and hovered the whole thing over to where harry sat.

"Thank you Kreacher, this is too much."

"Nothing is too much for the saviour Master Harry."

"Don't call me that Kreacher, or Master or sir for that matter, I'm Harry, just Harry. You are forbidden to call me anything else but Harry, okay?"

"As you wish." Kreacher replied with a low bow.

"Thank you Kreacher, for everything you did last year for us, and today helping in the battle. Regulus would have been proud of you."

At that Kreacher burst into tears and turned his back to harry and busied himself lighting a fire in the grate. After this was done and he had calmed down a bit he turned back towards Harry and said "is there anything else I can get for you?"

"Nothing for me thank you, but I want you to go and take a break. Go and relax somewhere don't think about me for a while. Go to Grimmuld Place for a while if you like; look over some of the old Black family things."

"Yes si...i mean Harry, are you sure?"

"Yes I'm defiantly sure." He replied with a smile. With a pop Kreacher was gone again.

Once harry had eaten as much as he could without bursting he sat back and lost himself in the fire. He couldn't believe how quiet it was. It was nice; he thought idly, that he could hear himself think. And think he did, about how difficult his life was going to be now. Before, he had a task, a purpose. It might have been a completely mad, impossible task but at least his life was mapped out for him. Find the Horcrux, destroy the Horcrux, kill Voldemort, live happily ever after. The problem was he never really thought he would get to the happily ever after bit, now it was here he didn't really know what to do or where to start. How could he justify his life and move on when so many people couldn't. So many people had sacrificed themselves for this precise outcome but he should have been one of the dead people were mourning over. If he could trade places with any of those people he would.

At that moment the portrait swung open again and three people trudged through. Three people he couldn't have survived without, the red-headed brother and sister and the bushy haired girl. He realised that even though he didn't have any family of his own anymore, these people were as good as. They all walked over to where he was sat and joined him on the sofas. Nobody said anything, nobody needed to say anything. Harry looked round at his best friends in the world and took in all the scars they had and thought of all the sacrifices they had made to get the world to where it was now. He realised that they had all gone through the same experiences and they would get through life together, they weren't alone. They would mourn together and they would move on together. That would start tomorrow though, for now they were happy to sit and listen to the silence.

_Author's note_

_thank you for reading so far guys! i am on holiday at the moment so chapters will be going up relatively quick but i'm back at work next week so it will only be a couple of chapters a week after that.i'm not really sure how long its going to be in the end because its a bit of a work in progress but hopefully it wont get boring! thank you again for reading and review if you get the chance, all feedback is greatly appreciated. S xx _


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione

After what t like forever staring into the fire, Hermione could feel her eyes getting heavier and heavier

"Come on lets get to bed, if we're going to sleep here we may as well be comfy." Ron said suddenly, breaking the silence.

"Yea sounds good." Ginny said through a yawn.

Hermione smiled at her and looked at Ron sat next to her on the sofa. "Shouldn't we go back to the Burrow?"

"I reckon it will be mental there, I think we should just stay here for tonight, maybe go back in the morning." He replied.

"I agree. I don't think I can handle seeing mum crying again yet." Ginny said to Ron grimacing.

Harry took her hand and squeezed it, "I'll stay wherever

"Yea sounds good." Ginny said through a yawn.

Hermione smiled at her and looked at Ron sat next to her on the sofa. "Shouldn't we go back to the Burrow?"

"I reckon it will be mental there, I think we should just stay here for tonight, maybe go back in the morning." He replied.

"I agree. I don't think I can handle seeing mum crying again yet." Ginny said to Ron grimacing.

Harry took her hand and squeezed it, "I'll stay wherever you are."

"Right then, I'll just go send my patronus." Ron said. Hermione watched him get up and move to the window and perform the complicated piece of magic feeling proud and angry at the same time. Ron really was a brilliant wizard; it just took something to bring it out of him. If only he had as much faith in him and she did then he would defiantly go far in this world.

"Right, who wants girls dorm and who wants boys then?" he said coming back to them.

"Wh...What?" stuttered Harry in reply.

"Well nobody else is staying, they all went home and I don't want to be away from Hermione, I don't think I could sleep without her snoring..."

"HEY" She shouted at him, throwing a cushion at him, but it missed him by miles.

"...and I know Ginny will demand she stay with you Harry, and she's my little sister so I know what her tantrums are like and I really"...and I know Ginny will demand she stay with you Harry, and she's my little sister so I know what her tantrums are like and I really don't want to deal with one right now."

"HEY" Ginny threw her cushion at him and using her chaser skills, it hit in squarely in the head.

"So..." Ron said looking round at them all. Hermione could tell that harry didn't know how to take this. She thought he must be thinking it was some sort of test. She giggled to herself as she watched his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

"Can we take the girl's dorm please Ron? I'd like to see it again, I've missed it." Hermione said standing and taking control. She knew Harry would never answer so she did for him.

"Sure, after you." He said gesturing towards the staircase on the left. "Night guys, see you tomorrow." He said, giving his sister a kiss and slapping Harry on the shoulder.

When they got to the staircase Hermione turned to him and kissed him.

"What was that for?" Ron said laughing.

"Because your amazing and I'm very lucky and to say thank you and because I really like you." She replied with a giggle, starting to blush.

"Yea right, okay if you say so. Shall we go up? Do you think the charm is still on? Will ii be able to walk up or will you have to float me up, I think you know the charm..." he said with a smirk.

"I don't know, give it a go."

Hermione started climbing up and turned around to watch as he gingerly put his foot on the bottom step. Nothing happened. He took another step. Nothing happened.

"I think its okay Ron. Professor Flitwick said that a lot of the less important magic in Hogwarts had been re-directed to protecting it, this must be one less important area."

"You're talking like the castle is living or something" he said catching up with her.

"Well it is sort of living." She said rolling her eyes, continuing up the staircase. "Didn't you ever read Hogwarts: A history? Its magic is adaptive; it can look after itself really, just somebody to look out for where magic might be wearing off or something, that's why Filtch can concentrate on rule breaking so much, because he doesn't really have anything else to do."

They had reached the dormitory now and Hermione walked over to her bed. It wasn't how she had remembered it. It had changed somehow, from being the protective home away from home to something else she couldn't quite explain. Maybe it was just her that had changed, she thought. She suddenly realised that Ron was still standing by the door.

"What's wrong?"

"What? Oh, nothing. I've never seen the girls dorm before. It's exactly the same as the boys, it's weird I thought it would be more, girly."

"O right, well come in, your making me feel nervous."

He walked over and sat on the bed she was sat on.

"You sleep in my bed, did you know?"

"What?" she looked at him confused.

"I mean, in the boys dorm this would be my bed." He said pointing at the mattress they were sat on.

"Oh, right yea I knew. I didn't say anything because I didn't want you to think I was weird."

"Hermione I do think your weird. But I would have liked to have known." He smiled at her lying back on her bed.

"Why am I weird?" she frowned at him.

"There are two pretty big reasons and a few smaller reasons."

"Well, tell me the big reasons then." She said getting annoyed.

"Okay, well...you are best friends with Harry Potter, and me, and in case you haven't noticed both myself and Harry are pretty weird, so that makes you weird by association."

"Haha, okay what's the second reason?"

"You are beautiful, and funny and intelligent and perfect and yet you still for some reason like me. You could literally have any guy you wanted. The best seeker in the world wants you and yet here you are with me. That makes you pretty weird I reckon." He looked at her through his fringe.

"You are an idiot Ronald." She said lying back down with him.

They had lain for a while with Ron stroking Hermione's hair when he said, "Hermione..."

"uh-hum" she replied lazily.

"I love you. More than anything, and I know I probably shouldn't tell you so soon or whatever but I do, and I'm so so sorry for being such an idiot."

"Which time?" she said mischievously.

"Shut up, every time. I should have just told you how I felt."

"Yes but I should have said something as well. I love you too you know?"

He smiled down at her and kissed her.

"I feel like I could sleep forever." He said quietly

"Me too. Wake me up when you wake up will you?" she replied stretching.

"Sweet dreams. I love you." Ron bundled her up in his arms and held her tight, as though he would never let her go. Hermione mumbled "I love y..." but was asleep before she could finish.


	5. Chapter 5

Harry

They hadn't drawn the curtains round the bed last night, they had been too tired. Harry had woken up before Ginny and now he was watching her. The sun was shining in through the window by his bed and it was making her hair look like it was on fire, it was beautiful. He wondered what she was dreaming about, if anything because she looked so calm. He almost didn't want to wake her up and see the pain in her eyes. He decided he would go for a walk before breakfast and leave her to sleep some more. He gently took his arms from around her small frame and got up from the bed and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" a small croaky voice sounded from across the room. He had never heard Ginny sound so vulnerable.

"I was going to let you sleep for longer and go for a walk, maybe around the lake."

"I want to go with you." She said jumping out of bed.

"Are you sure, I don't mind if you want to sleep."

"I can't sleep without you here; didn't you listen to Ron last night?"

"Okay, let's go."

As they made their way down the stairs they saw Kreacher had been to fix a fire in the grate. Even though it was May now there was a chill in the air. Harry wondered if it was because of the Dementors that had been hanging around.

Once they had got outside of Gryffindor Tower they could see the castle was falling down. Harry couldn't believe that the place he thought of as home and that had seemed so permanent and unbreakable when he was eleven was in this state. At least they didn't have to fix it the muggle way, he thought. They had reached the front doors now, and suddenly Harry didn't want to go for a walk anymore. The outside seemed worse than the inside somehow. The Quidditch pitch was a pile of ashes, the bridge was broken in two, you couldn't tell where Hagrid's house had been and the forest looked like there was still a fire burning in it somewhere.

Harry led Ginny over to their favourite corner of the courtyard instead and lit some blue flames to keep them warm. They sat down on some rubble and looked back towards the castle.

"Do you think things will ever be the same here?"

"Not for us. Not for anybody that fought in the battle. Even if it gets put back together exactly how it was before, we all have too many memories."

"But for kids who haven't started yet? It'll be magical for them wont it? Like it was for us?"

"Yea, I think it will. It is Hogwarts."

She leaned into his shoulder and sighed.

"I need to thank you Harry, for looking after Ron and Hermione."

"I didn't look after them, they looked after me. I wouldn't have survived without them."

"That's what Ron said. Are you mad at him?"

"What? What are you on about, why would I be mad at him?"

"When we were looking for you and Hermione yesterday, he told me how he had left you, how bad he still feels."

"Ginny, I forgave him even before he came back, I was never even mad at him, not really. He saved my life more than once. Did he tell you anything else?"

"No, just that he saved you and killed a Horcrux, what the hell is a Horcrux by the way cause he wouldn't tell me and I didn't want to push him. He seemed so frightened of whatever it was."

"It's a very long story and I will tell you but I don't think I can tell it twice, maybe we should wait until we get back to the Burrow and tell everyone together."

"okay, it's weird, you and Hermione seem exactly the same as before you left, maybe a bit bruised but essentially the same, but Ron, he seems, well different."

"How? In what way?" he asked her intrigued.

"I don't really know, it's just like he's responsible or something, like a proper grown up. It's like he can take all the responsibility of looking after us, and the battle, and everything, all on his shoulders."

"He has grown up a lot I suppose. I think it was always there, the ability to be like that, he just needed a push."

"And you gave it to him?"

"Nah, you can blame Hermione for that. I think he just realised how he felt about her and decided that nobody was going to hurt her while he was around, and to do that he needed to step up."

"He really does love her a lot doesn't he?"

"Yea, it's quite sweet really."

"Now that is one way I never thought I would hear Ron described as!"

Harry laughed and pulled her in close.

"He cares a lot about you as well you know? He was really worried about you when we were away."

She smiled up at him. "I know. He's my big brother. I know he won't let anybody hurt me. He's not just your best friend. He's mine too. I don't think you should or even can love one brother more than the others but I think I love him the most. I should tell him that more."

"Yes you should actually, but its okay, I know I'm amazing!" Ron said. Harry looked up at him and smiled at seeing Hermione fixed firmly into his side.

"I've changed my mind. Percy is my favourite." Ginny said laughing.

"too late I already heard you, you can't take it back now."

"I've spoken to McGonagall, told her we were heading back to the Burrow. We told her we would come back whenever they started re-building." Hermione said to them.

"Was she okay?" Harry asked.

"Yea I think so; she's just really busy with meetings with the school council and Kingsley."

"Are we all ready then? The floo's are all broken still so I said I would apparate us all back seeing as the enchantments are still down too." Ron said pulling Ginny and Harry from the ground "we have to go back at some point."

Ginny exchanged a knowing look with Harry and smiled at him. "Okay, get us home then Ron."

Ron took Hermione's hand and in turn she took Harry's giving it a squeeze. Once they were all connected Harry watched as Ron turned on the spot and felt that familiar stomach pull and thought it was funny that after all this time he still couldn't stand apparating.


	6. Chapter 6

Ron

When Ron opened his eyes again he could see the Burrow and a range of emotions washed over him. Relief and nostalgia because he didn't realise how much he had missed it, he didn't know how much until that moment. Mostly he felt anxious. What was going to happen? Fred was dead; they all had to face that now. He wondered how George would cope.

Ron felt a pulling on his arm and realised he must have been stood there for a while because he could see Harry and Gin nearly at the door and Hermione was pulling at his hand looking at him expectedly. He pulled her back into a hug and then started towards the house.

Once they had got into the kitchen they found George at the kitchen table with nobody else around. He was making some sort of list on a bit of parchment.

"Harry and Ginny went up stairs and everybody else is out. Mum and dad are with Fred down in the bottom field, that's where they want to bury him. Bill and Percy went into work; Kingsley asked them to go to help create a new ministry and Charlie when to help round up the dragons that were released in the battle by death eaters."

Hermione turned to Ron and said she was going upstairs to give Harry his stuff from her bag and that she would see them later. Ron went and sat next to his brother at the table.

"What are you doing mate?" he asked George.

"Just making a list of things that Fred would have hated at his funeral. To remind me you know?"

"...okay..."

"You know how he was at the wedding; he hated all the formality of it. So I've written down, no formal robes, no stuffy old wizard doing the service. That type of thing."

"Ahh right, that's a really good idea. Do you need any help?"

"Not with this but when I'm done could you help me with organising the funeral? I don't want to do it alone but I can't have mum helping she'll fuss and it will end up everything he would have hated and you know him really well, better than the others."

"Of course, you know I will. I'll make us some sandwiches."

George laughed and went back to his list. Ron made a stack of sandwiches and split them onto two plates. He put one on a tray and also put three bottles of butterbeer on it. Then he carried it upstairs to his room. He opened the door gently and found Ginny and Harry in Harry's camp bed fast asleep and Hermione, surprise surprise, reading in his bed. He went over to her and put the tray on his bedside table and gave her a kiss.

"I thought you guys might be hungry." He whispered to her.

"Thanks I'm starving!" she whispered back. "Is he okay?"

"Yea he seems set on getting Fred's funeral exactly how he would have wanted it. He's asked me to help him he said he just wants it to be us that does it doesn't want mum involved."

"That's nice, that he asked you. I know you'll make it perfect." She beamed at him.

"I hope so; I don't want to let him or Fred down."

"You won't, George trusts you, and Fred did too."

"Do you need anything else?"

"I'm fine, don't forget to look after yourself as well as everyone else okay?" she said tucking into a sandwich.

"I won't I promise, I'll go back down now then, you'll stay here wont you?"

"Of course."

As he made his way down the rickety old staircase he wondered why everybody was trusting him. It wasn't as though he had a good track record when it came to responsibility, not that history really mattered now. He had decided that this was going to be a new start for him, for them all really. He was going to make up for all the bad things he had done and make sure that everybody could trust him completely. He was never going to let anybody down again.

Once he had got back to the kitchen George was tucking into the sandwiches and smiling up at Ron.

"So I've got a few ideas down while you were playing mum upstairs." Ron punched him on the arm.

"Seriously what's gotten into you, since when were you the responsible one? Maybe you aren't the right one to help me with this?"

"I'm just trying to be a good person that people can turn to and rely on to do the right thing. I'm not a kid anymore and...and I just don't wana be seen as the idiot little brother that always mucks up."

"Hey, I was only kidding Ron. These sarnies are brill just what we all needed. And you've always been somebody we can rely on, stop being so hard on yourself. Now being the idiot little brother, that's just fact, I can't change that." Ron laughed at his and George pushed a new piece of parchment towards him.

"Take a look, what do you think? We can change anything you want." Ron picked up the parchment and a sandwich and started to read.


End file.
